T H E I N F L U E N C E O F T H E G R E E K U V I L I ZA T I O N A N D
LITERATURE ON RUSSIA IN THE PROCESS OF TIME
By Dr. MARIA-ELEFTHERIA G.
GIATRAKOU (GREECE)
ANNUAL EUROCLASSICA CONFERENCE
“CLASSIKA PETROPOLITANA”
St. Petersburg State University
The State Hermitage Museum
Gymnasium Capsicum Petropolitana
ST. PETERSBURG, SEPTEMBER 19-22
CONTACTS AND INFLUENCE OF THE GREEK CIVILIZATION AND
LITERATURE ON RUSSIA IN THE PROCESS OF TIME.
By Dr. Maria-Eleftheria G. Giatrakou
(Greece)
Dear participants and colleagues of Euroclassica, I’d like first to send you
my best and cordial greetings from Greece, the country you all know has been the
cradle of culture, education, civilization.
It’s the first time since 1993 I met in Madrid Euroclassica, I have not the
possibility, for serious and objective reasons, to be present in St. Petersburg. I
think you all understand the special reasons, I thank you for your kind expressions
of sympathy and support. I express my gratitude to the organizers of this congress
to give me the possibility to listen the participants my lecture, in my absence, and
I express many thanks to my dear friend and colleague, Dr. Jose Luis Navarro,
who with great willingness undertook to read it in favor of me.
The contacts and relationships of Greeks with Russians, seem to be very
ancient, even from the homeric times. This may be a little strange but it is really
an attractive aspect. During my research to write an analytical bibliography for
Chios at the crucial time of 1822, I discovered a book that is a historical source written
by a scholar from Chios, who lived the massacre and the catastrophy and slavery on the
island of Chios by the Turks, in 18221.
The author of this book, Christophoros Pl. Castanis gives us some very important
information. But before giving this original information I’d like first to refer to another
important booklet, having the title “Cultural travel. Odysseus voyage1”. Four eminent
professors of Universities, expert in classical and homeric studies, using ancient Greek,
Hellenistic, Roman and modern sources, tried in the most scientific way to approach the
probable, sailing round of Odysseus during his adventures and travels, according to the
1
This book has two different titles, “The Greek Exile” or the narration of the captivity and escape
of Christophorus Platonos Castani, (the name of the author), during the massacre on the island of
Chios by the Turks with various adventures in Greece and America, written by himself’, Philadelphia
Lippincoft, Crambo & Co. Successors to Grigg and Elliot. No 14 NORTH FOURTH STREET, 1851,
(the book has been translated by Christos G. Giatrakos and the prologue is written by Dr. Ph. MariaEleftheria G. Giatrakou.
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homeric epic poems, the tradition and the aspect of various researchers. They also used
good maps to support their aspects.
But as I told you, Christophorus Castanis, the scholar form Chios, tried to give us
some quite different but attractive information. Castanis says that in the northwest of Malta
there is a small island named Goro which allows us to believe that it is the beloved place
Kalypso’s meeting with Odysseus. Castanis rejects this aspect based on the aspect of a
distinguished Russian philologist and scholar. He takes this information from a
thesis, composed into Russian language by the political counsellor, Vasilios
Kopanistis, and was translated into Greek by Konstantinos Artenos. The author of this
thesis was born in Zakynthos but he lived in South Russia in the area of Poltan. The
translator, on the other hand, was a Greek citizen, born in Nisna, studied in the University of
Moscow and Vienna. They were both well educated and their thesis was going to be
published by Kokkinakis, a person from Chios, in the journal “Logios Hermes” in Vienna,
Austria, 1819.
According to the aspect of the above scholars, the wanderings of Odysseus did not
happen in the west side of Italy but in the south shores of Russia. Homer didn’t move the
“Cyanean Rocks” from Euxeinos Pontos to the narrow places of Messini, not even Kirki,
daughter of the Sun, from the house of Io from the east land of the area of Kolhi’s
moved them to the western shores of Italy. The above scholars believe that
Odysseus, was wandering in the Black Sea, returning from Kirki, and passed
through the Cyanean Rocks (Symplygades Petres) twice, which are what we call,
“Eratic Rocks” being in the passage from the Thracian Bosporus to the Black Sea
(see Odyssey, XII, 69-110).
According to the above Homer’s description the Cyanneam Rocks or
Planets exist in the same place where there are the strange creatures “Skylla and
Charyvdis” or the Cyanean Rocks which may be identified with Skylla and
Charyvdis. So, it’s not strange to say that authors after Homer have placed the
first Rocks at the narrow passage of Messena and Skylla and Charyvdis in the
passage from Bosporus to the Black Sea 2.
See, (cultural sailing round, Odysseus’ voyage, published by the Greek Organization of Tourism, Athens
1996.
2 See Christophorus Pl. Castanis, where we find the quotation: Herodotus, IV, 85, Apol. Rhod. Argonaut
1.20.59.786. Valerius Flacci Argon, IV Eneid, III 561
1
2
Other scientific researchers believe and confirm the aspect that Odysseus
Wandered in the boundaries of the Black Sea as it is most probable the position of
“Farakeia” where the Odysseus was transported / moved by the wind storm
without travelling back to skylla and Charyvdis. That’s why these scholars
believed that this position was far away from Ithaki and Greece but in the Black
Sea. Greeks travelled to Russia from the time of the wanderings of Odysseus after
the Trojan War and Kirki lived by the shore of the lake Marotis (Azofiki Sea) at
the month of the river Aka. In the South shore also of Euxeinos Pontos by the
Gulf named in ancient time “Nekropyli” that is the Cafe of dead persons where lived
Kimerii, and the Metropolis of Faiakes with the double port is placed near the valley of
Otuz1.
That’s the first contact of the Greeks of the homeric times with the Russians.
The seashores of the Black Sea was colonized by the Greeks form the very
ancient times who never stopped their cultural and merchant activities there at
about 500 B.C.2 Greeks from Miletus and Megara travelled to the Russian shores
of Euxeinos Pontos and founded colonies which were flourishing mainly thanks to
their high quality civilization and trade, so many cities and places of Russia had
flourished thanks to the Greek colonists who went there, as it is Odesus, near the
river Hypani (Vonos), Obviouspolis in a distance of 40 kilometers from the mouth
of the river ...., Tyros, Pantakapaion (kerbs), Fanagovia at the mouth of the
narrow passage Gieni Kale, Palakias (today Valouklava), Theodosia (later was
named kafa) Cherson in Tavriki Peninsula Tanais at the mouth of the river Don
(today Poti), Dioskourian, Piteous, Nisis (Sotsi) Gagral at the foot of the
mountain Kafkasa and at the seashore of the ancient Kohl’s, etc. 3
The Greek colonists developed the civilization, the sciences and ants,
according to the customs and traditions of their Metropolis, enjoyed reading
Platon, used to say lines from the Homeric epic poems by heart. We have many
proofs and documents of the Greek civilization in Russia thanks to the excavations of
the Russian Archaiologist and mainly of Uvarof, who discovered many
1
See also Christophorus Castanis as above (translation by Christos G. Giatrakos, p. 138, where the ...,
Vasilios Kapnistis, Russian journal, “The Patriot” November 28, 1819.
2 See also Theologos G. Panagiotides, The Hellenism in Russia, Athens 1999, P.4
3 As above.
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Greek monuments, epitaphic columns, sculptures and statues of gods and heroes,
Thanks to the influence of the Greek civilization were also civilized the Skythes
and their races, and their king had ornamented his palace with sculptured Greek
ornaments, Sphinxes etc. We can see also the influence of the ant and Greek
civilization on the vases saved and kept in the Museum of Odesos, Kents, and
Petersburg. We must underline the existence of a gold vase in Kents and another
silver in Nikopolis in the building of Government of Aikatenoslav which are
rather kept in the Museum of Hermitage, being valuable, thanks to their artistic
and archaeological value and they belong to the 4 th century B.C.
1
The father of History, Herodotus gives us information regarding the
skythean races in Russia.
Hellenism and the Hellenic civilization put their roots in Russia and we all
know that Russia owes even Orthodox religion to Hellenism and to Byzantium 2.
Byzantium civilized many countries, the saints Methodios and Kurillos
brought the civilization and brilliance of Constantinople to the central Europe,
until Moravia, the far away Pontos regarding christianizing of Chazari by the St.
Kyrillos and the first Christianizing of the Russians by the Byzantium.
The Patriarchate Photios tried to complete the Christianizing of the nations
of Pontos as well as Regent Nikolaos Mystikos establishing in this way
Christianism in the nations of Alani and Avasgi and the descendants of them live
today in the borders of Kafkasos and they compose with the Armenians the most
distant stronghold of the Christianism3.
Even today the Byzantium lives in the Russia Orthodox Church and during the Holy
Liturgy the one third of hymns and prayers are sung in the Greek language. We have even
serious information that in the Russian Monasteries (Lavres) the monks and nuns study
Greek, to understand better Theology and Orthodox Christianism. Since the occupation of
Constantinople (1453) until 1490 may Greeks have travelled to Russia and worked as metal
workers4. They lived with their families near the mines and attracted the love and interest of
1
sec as above.
As above, p.5
3 Maria-Eleftheria Giatrakou, 550 years from the fall of Constantinople,
(1453-2003), “HISTORIA” No 419, May 2003, edition Papyrus, Athens 2003, p. 15.
4 see Theologos Panagiotides as above, p.5. see also Pavlos Palaiologos,
The Greeks abroad, Athens 1972, p. 219.
2
4
the governors. Most of them worked at Allaverdi today Messana and Ahtala? In Georgia the
Greeks are named Perzenesvili, that means son of the wise (that is of the wise Greek) and
many Greek families have acquired that name as surname. Many Greeks immigrate to
Russia after the Constitution of Kiutsuk-Kainartzi, mainly Greeks from the islands of
Archipelagos with their relatives and families. Many Greeks also live in Crimaia but they
have suffered because of Tatari1.
Many Greeks live, in Mariapoli or Marianapoli which was named so by the
Greeks thanks to the miracles working ikon of Virgin Mother which brought there
the Greeks coming from Krimaia 2.
The Greeks of Diaspora live scattered in
various places of Russia, in Kars, Chalka, Vatoum, Koutais, Antikafkas, round the
Euxeinos Pontos in North Kafkasos, near Azofiki, Laziki, Marianoupolis,
Cherson, Nikolaef, Dolesos, Crimaia and many other places. There were also in
Russia Greek schools, Greek teachers and bequests for sponsoring and supporting
economically the Greeks 3.
Many eminent families from Greece and Chios lived in Russia and worked
hard, especially in merchant affairs, became rich and Benefactors in Russia and
Greece4.
In Odessos which is considered to be the “Acropolis of Hellenism” in
Russia lived distinguished Greeks who worked as merchants, who founded the
“Philiki Etaireia” that in the “Friendly Association” having aim to set free the
Greek Nation after the four hundred years occupation by the Turks. “Philiki
Etaireia organized a long-timed armed fighting, giving to its efforts a panhellenic
character of gaining its liberty the Greek Nation. It was founded in Odessos, in
the house of the Greek, Gregorios I. Maraslis, at his house, in the sidestreet
Krasni No 18 in Odessos there is a Square named in March 25 1993 as Square of
the Greeks because in this place was the Greek Bazar 5. The Greeks of Russia were
about 800.000 and the Russians called them the “right hand of God” 1.In Russia
the Greeks gained dignities and belonged also to the State authorities. The first
Pavlos Palaiologos, as above, p.5
1 as above, p.6
2 Theologos G. Panagiotides as above, p.9
3 As above, p.10
4 Kostas G. Avogitidis, Theodoros Pavlou Rodokanakis, Chios 2004, p. 22.
5 Theodoros Rodokanakis, as above, p.35
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government of the deliberated Modern Greece was Ioannis Kapodistrias from the
island of Kerkyra who had been Minister of foreign affairs in Russia. Thanks to
the Greeks the “free hellenism of Russia mainly those living in Azofiki and the
Black Sea contributed to the economic development of that country 2.
As you have seen from the homeric times until now hellenism is flourishing
in Russia and develops culture, science, arts, trade, education. In summer we had
the great pleasure to have a participant from Tilfida, whose name was Manana
Khomeriki. She was proud because as she explained she was descendant of
Homerides who had been students of Homer and traveled from Chios, where
Homer taught to them his epic poems, to Laziki, Tilfis, in the 6 th century, B.C.
As you see the contacts and relationships and friendship between the
Greeks and Russians are so old. They start from the homeric time until now. And
the influence of the Greek civilization, culture, science, arts language, religion,
economy in Russia is clear. Even now there are Departments in Russian
Universities of Classics, Byzantine and Modern Greek Philology Orthodox
Theology, History, Letters, Linguistic and we are very happy for the participants
of Academia Homerica who read and understand easily ancient and modern Greek
continuing in this way the relationship between the two nations (Greece and
Russia) and influence of the one culture on the other for the development of the
civilization. We may say that in many parts of Russia we can meet Greeks and
Greece and its civilization outside Greece.
Dr. MARIA-ELEFTHERIA G. GIATRAKOU
1
2
See as above, p. 36 where the reference 59.
As above, pp. 132, 133
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